Kidney Punch

Matariki – Te whetū tapu o te taū

John Pickering • May 18, 2022

• astronomy,
• māori astronomy,
• matariki,
• New Zealand stories,
• Science,
• science and society

“Māori star lore was, and still remains, a blending together of both astronomy and astrology, and while there is undoubtedly robust science within the Māori study of the night sky, the spiritual component has always been of equal importance” writes Professor Rangi Matamua in his book Matariki – Te whetū tapu o te taū (Matariki – The star of the year).  I … Read More

Celebrating Women in Space

John Pickering • Oct 06, 2021

• astronomy,
• Science,
• science and society,
• women in science

Beautiful, Inspiring, Mysterious!  How do you describe space?  What do you think when you look up at the stars?  The United Nations General Assembly certainly knew how beautiful, inspiring, mysterious, and important space is when they designated a week to be World Space Week.  That’s this week, and the theme for this year is Women in Space. There are numerous New Zealand women who … Read More

Shorter stays in the ED thanks to COVID-19

John Pickering • Mar 29, 2021

• Health and Medicine,
• New Zealand stories,
• Science

Early last year the expected influx of patients with COVID-19 to emergency departments (ED) in New Zealand required rapid preparation.  Many questions needed answering quickly – such as, where will we put all the patients? How will we separate highly likely COVID-19 patients from less likely COVID-19 patients?  How will we allocate staff and keep them safe? One of the two most … Read More

A divine visitor last Friday

John Pickering • Mar 09, 2021

• LED lights,
• light pollution,
• Science,
• science and society

Apophis on a trip to down-town Auckland   On Friday night, 5 March 2021, the “God of Chaos” sped past our planet. The asteroid Apophis, or “God of Chaos” as it is known, made a close approach.  Bigger than the Sky Tower (about 370m diameter) and faster than a speeding bullet (4 km/s or about 14,000 km/h) it would surely … Read More

End of life – it isn’t so easy

John Pickering • Sep 28, 2020

• End of Life Choice Act,
• Euthanasia,
• referrendum

In a few weeks, New Zealanders will make a choice whether we implement into law the End of Life Choice Act 2019.  My scientific expertise includes developing and validating methods to predict future events of ill people including death. There is one section of the Act that concerns me deeply. Section 5(1)c of the End of Life … Read More

Cheesecake Files: Machine learning heart attacks

John Pickering • Aug 21, 2019

• algorithm,
• artificial intelligence,
• diagnostics,
• Heart Attack,
• machine learning,
• Myocardial Infarction

“Machine learning” rates very high on the buzz-word scale, right up there with “nano-technology” and “blockchain”. Like most buzz it is more noise than substance. However, every now and again it looks like there might be something in the noise that bites. This episode of the Cheesecake Files1 is about testing an algorithm (another buzz word) developed through a … Read More

Dark space

John Pickering • Jun 24, 2019

• artificial light,
• blue light,
• dark space,
• matariki,
• Pleiades,
• stars

Dark space, like green space, is essential for our well being. Dark space, like green space, is our past, our taonga, and our right. Dark space, unlike green space, is not prioritised in our city plans, is not part of our conversation about Te Tiriti, nor is it where we go for relaxation and inspiration. But once it was. Read More

Performance Based Research Fund: The numbers are up

John Pickering • May 01, 2019

• PBRF,
• research funding,
• TEC,
• universities

8269 academics and their bosses have been alerted – the data is in, the numbers are crunched, PBRF scores are out. Who are the winners, who are the losers? Find out more with tec publication. But before you go there… I predict that any minute now tertiary institutions throughout … Read More

Is my science ethical?

John Pickering • Apr 12, 2019

• research ethics,
• social licence

Am I doing what the public thinks is OK to do?   That was the question that came to mind as I heard Bioethics and Health Law expert Rochelle Style speak at a Health data workshop held at the University of Otago Christchurch this week.  Rochelle spoke with clarity and demonstrated a great deal of expertise.  I like the simplicity of Law – tells … Read More

The physics of maiming a child (repost because of “those” scooters)

John Pickering • Oct 26, 2018

• children,
• footpath,
• lime scooter,
• mobility scooter,
• physics,
• scooter

Dear Driver, When you backed out of a driveway and did not even see how I swerved around behind your car to avoid T-boning you, how dare you have the temerity to tell me you were careful!  I was 7 feet tall, dressed in bright yellow and traveling at no more than 10 km/h.  Perhaps a simple lesson in physics … Read More